C_WRX

Looking to gather info from those in the know..... On braking getting vibration through the steering wheel - getting the brakes checked out later this week but reckon it's warped discs (which on a 22k miles / 3 year old car seems kinda soon to me). I have a 2004 WRX, standard set up. In advance want to know what can be fitted in their place. I am not heavy on the brakes and it's for road use only. Should I go with : New Subaru discs with uprated pads ? or Uprated discs with uprated pads ? What discs and pads would be best option, budget needs to be kept in mind (just forked out for insurance last week!) Cheers in advance

Insurance is approaching - likely often asked question, but other than these company's any other suggestions ? Bell, KeithMichaels, Admiral, Aplan, Elephant

ooooh, very nice, that'll turn heads. Although I'm sure you missed a bit cleaning it....I'll get back to you if I ever find it ![]! Black looks lovely all shined up.

Looking very nice. Think no spoiler is a bold step, one of those things perhaps get used too after time ??? Quite a big back end with Scoobs, spoiler helps break that up a little. Always liked my cars to look just a little different from the norm, nothing wrong with being different (well that's what I tell myself when people point [:'(]) !

A lot comes down to cost too - PC and pads/polish/etc ain't exactly cheap all in, and the guage I saw advertised a while back was around £450 if I remember right (main reason I don't have one!). Sure plenty of folk have good experiences of using it (me for a start), but they'll likely be a couple who've had a bad one no doubt. Polished Bliss have a good section that explains a bit more about them and also hand -v- machine polish if it helps any. On the other hand paying someone with experience means you don't need to spend a whole knackering day on it and as you say they'll have the experience.

I don't/haven't used a guage. Very possible you could take the paint off and that's why the guage exists, but I've not met any issues by not yet. No expert on this kind of thing, just what I've read/told and limited experience so far. Suppose you could say personal choice and if you wanted to be completely sure should use one. With the PC best advise I found was to practice, perhaps on a scrap piece or even a company car (obviously not me that did that!), and start off at slow speed and work up using minimal amount required to correct. On my car i only plan on using the PC twice at most a year, exception, as I found recently, after someone put 4 small scratches in my rear bumper - PC near but completely removed it, unless I pointed it out never know was there.

The polisher will help get out light scratches and swirls where as that's difficult to do by hand. If it is just a shine then polish by hand, if it correction and a fantastic shine go mechanical. You can get 4" or 6.5" (I think that's the sizes) pads, the 4" for slightly harder to reach bits, but yes there are areas you can't get the machine in to - I found behind the door handles a pain to get too.

Hi there. Just joined myself this week, and in same area just a little bit further down the M74. If you get some pics on, I'll give a wave if I see you.

Just like new - very nice job.

Yip, fitted the grill myself. Made a small mistake [:$] by mis-interpetting the instructions but should be easy to hide that. Kit comes with a template which gives you a very good idea as to where to drill - I found the middle hole a bit of a guess but it turned out fine. Very happy with the result, very different looking front now, almost seems as if the bumper sticks out more. I'd say go for it, just take your time (oh, and the two screws are unusual - a star shape but have a bump in the middle so standard star screw drivers don't work??).

Thanks JamesM. Black looks brilliant when clean, and from a distance all looks fine but with that colour up close you see the swirls and minor scratches easier than most colours. I spent a half a day washing it (bodywork, wheels, arches and engine bay) and getting rid of the bodywork tar spots. After that I went at it with a Porter Cable machine polisher with Menzerna Intensive Polish on an orange pad (microfibre cloth off) and then Menzerna Final Finish polish on a green pad (microfibre cloth off) - reckon a lot of the swirls and minor scratches were either less noticeable or gone - oh and a whole load of time and patience is required ! After all that then added a basecoat of Jeffs Werkstatt Prime Acrylic and protected with Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Jett Trigger. I emailed in great length Polished Bliss and they suggested this combo for a Black Subaru, very nice people and extremely helpful. The gold speckle through the black is very noticeable up close on a sunny day after the above. I was told that trying to remove swirls by hand is very difficult, the PC polisher has been put to good use on other cars so was not a whole chunk of money just to be used once or twice a year. Almost sounds like I know what I'm talking about ! Spent quite a while looking in to the above cause with a machine a mistake can be costly, even practiced on a family members car first !!

Thanks for the continued welcomes. Appreciate the advice oobster, exactly the reason I joined the forum was to get this kind of info. I'll maybe give it a go some time, when it comes to changing bits over definitely easier once you've seen it done, just from past experience I've usually made the mistake on the first half but the second half looks perfect ! The rear lights...never thought of bothering with them....will have a look at that too. Cheers. In the short term though my offer still stands if anyone wants a trip over - maybe for just the first side. Thanks again folks [Y]

Hi st3ph3n. Larkhall is often where I go for v-power, I'll keep an eye out for your car for sure, interested in how the rear wing looks. Mine is a 54reg but I have my personal plate on it, reckon the grill will hopefully be enough of a giveaway that it's me !? I might be bias but I always easily notice a black Scooby in the distance.[]

Thanks for the welcome folks. Glad you like the shine, spent ages on that. I held out and searched all over the country for the right black car eventually getting one with lowish mileage, in good condition.....and all from a Subaru dealer who gave an okay deal (well it was at the time!). I'm from a little way down the M74 (other side of Hamilton from Bothwell heading South) but am often in EK & Hamilton and will wave back if I can, friendly sole that way !

Hi, newbie here. If I mess anything up go gentle on criticism ! You seem like a decent bunch [] Bought my WRX at the end of last year but this is really the first chance I've had to get on to here. Despite some pics (which have hopefully appeared okay...another first time!) perhaps suggesting otherwise it is a WRX. Don't want to be thought of as an STi wannabe, costs and common sense met and I'm well happy with the one I have (although an STi might have been nice []). I added the spoiler when I got it cause I liked it and the fog lamp covers I've only just fitted came with STi stickers on so till I find replacement stickers they can stay on (looks naked without something stuck on there!). Grill is fresh on too for those eagle eyed amongst you. Hope you like the pics. Yes, it's usually that clean. Okay so I'd just given it a 2 day inside/outside detail, removing the previous owners bodywork sponge wash swirl marks and scratches, so now just needs a good wash once/twice a week and a bodywork protective top up once a month, which to be honest a car that colour needs. Made a few minor alterations, some more obvious than others, since I bought it from standard, as is the way it seems with Impreza's ! Would perhaps be interested in the possibility of de-tango'ing the front lights. If there's someone that is either in Lanarkshire area or fancies a trip through this way with de-tango experience that could help me out would be interested in hearing from you – sure I could arrange a quick car clean up for you in return (not offering a full detail, I do it as a spare time hobby and if you want a professional finish best to pay a good full-time detailer !). Looking forward to reading and joining in on the chat.